Cooking top cover



July 28, 1936. e. E. PICKUP cobKiNG TOP COVER Filed June-15, 1934 ji izjlwoe Geo)" e 2' u 0 (ATTORNEYS Patented July 28, 1936 UNITED STATESPATENT 2,049,080 COOKING TOP COVER tion of Ohio Application June 15,1934, Serial No. 730,713

2 Claims. (Cl. 126214) plate is not in use.

A primary object is to provide a utility cover construction for thecooking tops of ranges wherein the cover is arranged to be quicklyremoved when the cooking top is to be used for cooking, and may beconveniently disposed of so as not to interfere with normal activityabout the range, but is retained immediately at hand for replacementwhen desired.

Another object is to provide a cooking top cover which forms a normallyconnected part of the range but which may be removed and placed within aconvenient part of the range so as to be completely out of the way, andto accomplish this result without affecting the normal appearance of therange. Q

Another object is to provide a disappearing cooking top construction forranges together with associated parts to facilitate manipulation of thesame.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the followingdescription and from the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. '1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a range and cooking top,showing the cover partly open.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentarytransverse sectional plan view taken on line 2--2of Fig. 1' and showing certain details of construction.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, andshowing the arrangement of parts when the cover isin place over thecooking top.

Fig.4 is a similar view showing the parts when the cover is disposedwithin the disappearing slide at the end of the stove.

A salient feature of the invention resides in the provision of a cookingtop cover which, when the cooking top is in use for cooking, may bedisposed of conveniently to one side of the cooking top where the coverwill be out of theway but ready to be replaced quickly and with aminimum of effort. As a satisfactory manner of accomplishing theobjectives of the invention there may be provided means below thesurface of the cooking top for receiving the cover, and in /order tofacilitate manipulation of the cover, means may be provided for guidingthe cover to u and from said means for receiving the same.

plate.

Referring to the drawing, which shows an exemplary embodiment of theinvention, a range l is'provided with a cooking top comprising anangular upper peripheral frame l2 having inwardly offset flanges I3forming a seat to receive a cooking plate M. The upper surface of thecooking plate M is preferably; in a plane offset below the upper surfaceof the frame I2 so that a cover l5 which ispreferably of about the samedimensions as the cooking plate will fit within the cooking plateopening in the frame l2 with its upper surface-in the same plane as theupper surface of the frame.

Cooking top covers heretofore in use have either been bodily removableor have been hingedly connected to the range top to swing backwardly orto one side of the cooking plate. In the former instances the cover wassubject to damage by careless handling, and disposal of the same whilenot in use created a problem; while in the latter cases the cover wasoften found to be an annoyance and a hindrance to the normal operationsabout the stove. By the present invention, however, means are providedfor guiding the cover l5 when not in use into a convenient place at oneside of the range, such, for example as into a, receiving space withinthe body of the range. The cover is thereby completely out of the way,but may be readily withdrawn when desired for replacement over thecooking As a desirable means for accomplishing this purpose, there isprovided a pair of substantially U shaped vertical guideway members I Iwhich are secured in spaced relation adjacent a side wall l8 of therange. These guideways I! have lateral flanges H9 at their upper endswhich are connected by means of suitable bolts to the flanges l3 of theframe member l2, respectively adjacent the frontand back of the range.At vertically spaced points, the guideways II are attached to horizontaldrawer slide members 22 the ends of which are rigidly secured in anysuitable manner to the stove framework adjacent the front and back ofthe range.

A guide member 24 connected adjacent one end of the cover I 5 by meansof one or more suitable hinges 28. In Fig. 2 one side of the guide I 24is shown for the purpose of illustration, the

other side being substantially the same so that a description of onewill suflice for the other. An angular flange 21 on the edge of theguide is slidably received within the channel-shaped guideway II, asufficient clearance being'maintained to permit free verticalreciprocation of 2 the guide. Thus, when the cover I5 is removed fromthe cooking top, the member 24 will move downwardly to guide the coverinto the space between the guideways, A handle '28 is hingedly connectedto the opposite end of cover I5 to facilitate lifting the same from thecooking top for insertion into the receiving space at the side oftherange, and for withdrawing the same for replacement. Tlhecover ispreferably enameled to present a pleasing and easily cleaned surface toharmonize with any desired decorative finish of the range.

The cover I5 is preferably of substantial construction and may be formedofsuitable gauge sheet metal capable of withstanding reasonable weightof'objects so as to maintain a uniform plane in use. stiffening flanges29 may be formed about the edges of the cover to aid in rigidifying thesame. These features, ofcourse, give. a certain amount of bulk to thecover and in'the absence .of restraining means the force of gravitywould tend to accelerate downward movement of the cover in the receivingspace when the same is inserted therein. Repeated concussion incident tothe abrupt termination of its descent would in time deleteriously affectthe contour and finish of the cover. Means are therefore provided tofacilitate insertion of the cover into and its removal from thereceiving means, herein shown as a counterbalance 30 connected by meansof a suitable rope or cable 3| to the guide member 24. One end of thecable 3| is attached to an eye bolt 32 in the upper edge of thecounterbalance 38, and the other end of the cable is engagedby asuitable engagement member 33 on a flange 34 on the lower edge of theguide member 24. over a pulley 35 which is rotatably mounted in a Ushaped bracket 36 attached to a flange 31 formed at the top of sideplate I8 of the range.

When the cover It: is to be removed from the cooking top to be insertedinto the receiving space therefor, the handle 28 isgrasped and the coverraised to a vertical position whereupon its weight added to the guide 24will overcome the weight of the stationary counterbalance 30 and causethe guide 24 to descend slowly with the cover to the position shown inFig. 4. The counterbalance 30 is preferably lighter than the combinedweight of the cover l5 and the guide member 24 so that the cover willremain in its hidden position until positively urged therefrom.

The counterbalance 30 is preferably elongate and flat in shape so 'as torequire a minimum of space for vertical movement, whereby the same maybe slidably disposed in a relatively narrow space between the inner faceof the side plate l8 of the range and flanges 38 on the guideways Asshown herein, the counterbalance may be in the shape of a horizontallyelongated, re'ctangular frame. Angular guides33 are preferably securedadjacent the ends of the counterbalance 30 to prevent endwise movementof the same when it is raised or lowered. A stop 40 is secured to thelower ends of flanges 38 of the guideways H to prevent further descentof counterbalance 30, and may comprise an angle span-- ning the twoguideways. A stop member 4| is provided to limit downward movement ofthe The cable 3| is threaded =ways ll.

While the cever l5 has been described as being inserted into receptaclemeans at the side of the range, provision may as well be made to 6provide a space therefor adjacent another wall of the range such as atthe back. The central part of. therange, defined by a cross-member 42 ofthe frame |2, however, is generally traversed by gas pipes or the likeand, consequently, it does not ordinarily form-a suitable place for thedisappearing recess for the cover.

I will state in conclusion, that while'the illustrated embodiment oftheinvention discloses a preferred form, itis to be understood that thesame may be considerably modified in detail without departing from thespirit and scopeof the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination in a kitchen .range, means 20 providing a bodyframework including, angu- .larly related vertical walls and a cookingtop supported in a plane near the upper 'inargins of said walls, aremovable cover for saidcooking top adapting the same to be used as atable, one of said walls being spaced/from said cooking top andproviding a vertical pocket for receiving said cover when removed fromthe cooking top, a member hingedly connected to the edge of said coverand extending intosaid pocket for guiding movement of the cover therein,counterbalancing means for effecting smooth and substantially effortlessmovement of said member and cover into or out of said pocket andincluding a flat weight connected with said member and movable in aplane close to the plane of movement of said member and cover in saidpocket, and guide means within said pocket defining the path of movementof said member and cover and including a part interposed between saidplanes of movement for maintaining said weight permanently out ofcontact with the member or cover.

2. In combination in a kitchen range, means providing a body frameworkincluding angularly related vertical walls and a cooking top supportedin a plane near the uppen margins of said walls. a removable cover. forsaid cooking top adapting the upper part of the range to be used as atable, one of said walls being spaced from said cooking top andproviding a vertical pocket for receiving said cover when removed fromthe cooking top, a member hingedly connected to the edge of said coverand extending into said pocket for guiding movement of the covertherein, ccunterbalancing means for effecting smooth and substantiallyeffortless movement of said member and cover into or out of said pocketand including a weight connected with said member movable in a planeclose to the plane of movement 5. of said member and cover in saidpocket, guide means within said pocket including a vertical partdefining the path of movement of said member and cover and having aportion interposed between said planes of movement for maintaining saidweight out of contact with said mentber or cover, and means on saidweight coactive with said vertical part for retaining said weightagainst transverse swinging movement.

GEORGE E. PICKUP.

